气 meaning and stroke order
Gas; air; smell; weather
How to write 气, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 气
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- gas; air
- smell
- weather
- to make angry; to annoy; to get angry
- vital energy; qi
How 气 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A person 亻 breathing air.
How to remember 气
The data describes 气 (qì) as a person 亻 breathing air. Picture the lines as puffs of breath drifting out of someone's mouth, and you have air, gas, and the breath that rises when you get angry.
气 (qì) appears in many everyday words about air, weather, and feelings, such as 天气 (tiānqì) weather, 空气 (kōngqì) air, and 生气 (shēngqì) to get angry. On its own it can also be a verb meaning to make someone angry. Example: 你别气我。(Nǐ bié qì wǒ.) Don't make me angry.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 气 (qì) with 汽 (qì), which adds the water radical 氵 and means steam or vapor, as in 汽车 (qìchē) car. Use 气 for air, weather, and emotions, and 汽 for steam and things powered by it.
Common words with 气
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 生气 | shēngqì | to get angry; to be furious; vitality; liveliness | HSK 1 |
| 天气 | tiānqì | weather | HSK 1 |
| 不客气 | bù kèqì | you're welcome; don't mention it | HSK 1 |
| 空气 | kōngqì | air; atmosphere | HSK 2 |
| 气温 | qìwēn | air temperature | HSK 2 |
| 气候 | qìhòu | (meteorology) climate; (fig.) climate; prevailing conditions (in human affairs) | HSK 3 |
| 运气 | yùnqi | luck (good or bad) | HSK 4 |
| 勇气 | yǒngqì | courage | HSK 4 |
| 力气 | lìqi | physical strength | HSK 4 |
| 气球 | qìqiú | balloon | HSK 4 |
| 暖气 | nuǎnqì | central heating; heater | HSK 4 |
| 客气 | kèqi | polite; courteous | HSK 5 |
| 脾气 | píqi | character; temperament; disposition; bad temper | HSK 5 |
| 一口气 | yīkǒuqì | one breath; in one breath | HSK 5 |
气 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 气
Learning 气 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 气
How many strokes are in 气?
气 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 气 mean?
气 (qì) means gas; air; smell; weather. A common word with it is 生气 (shēngqì), meaning "to get angry; to be furious; vitality; liveliness".
How do you pronounce 气?
气 is pronounced qì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the traditional form of 气?
The traditional form of 气 is 氣. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 气 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 气 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 气 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Why does 不客气 (bù kèqì) mean you're welcome?
客气 (kèqì) means polite or standing on ceremony. 不客气 literally says don't be so polite, so it works as a natural reply when someone thanks you.
Is the 气 in 运气 (yùnqi) pronounced with a fourth tone?
In 运气 (yùnqi), meaning luck, 气 is usually said in the neutral tone in everyday speech. In most other words, like 天气 (tiānqì) and 勇气 (yǒngqì), it keeps its fourth tone.